MOBILE, Alabama — Mobile Community Action Inc., which runs programs for low-income residents in Mobile and Washington counties, agreed last week to pay $65,000 in back pay to a fired maintenance worker who made a sexual harassment complaint against a female supervisor.

A consent decree, approved by U.S. District Judge Kristi DuBose, also requires Mobile Community Action to pay “reasonable attorney fees” to Donté Bumpers’ lawyer.

“We’re pleased with the outcome and have great faith that Mobile Community Action will adhere to the consent decree and be a great place to work for employees and future employees,” attorney Ed Smith said.

Mobile Community Action did not admit wrongdoing as part of the decree.

“While Mobile Community Action strenuously denies any wrongdoing, this litigation reached the point where it was in everyone’s best interest to put the matter behind them,” said attorney Carter Hale, who represented the nonprofit.

The consent decree, negotiated with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, also requires the organization to take a number of court-monitored steps to prevent discrimination for the next 5 years. That includes changing employment records to show that Bumpers “voluntarily resigned.”

Bumpers now works for the Mobile County school system.

The organization must adopt policies regarding the training of managers and employees on sexual harassment and retaliation; procedures for employees to report sexual harassment; and appoint within 30 days a management-level employee to make sure the agreement is followed.

Bumpers made a complaint to the EEOC, which decided to file a federal lawsuit alleging that Mobile Community Action terminated him in retaliation for complaining about the harassment. He filed his own civil complaint in federal court alleging retaliation and sexual harassment.

That complaint alleged that he was subjected to “numerous instances of unwanted, unwelcome and offensive sexual remarks and sexual touching by a female supervisor” who required him to perform “demeaning personal tasks unassociated with his job responsibilities.”

Mobile Community Action fired him 10 days after he made his last complaint in March 2008 to the organization, with the termination letter citing the reason as “ the adverse effect this serious allegation has caused.”